Another Fall Festival

Last Saturday, we again ventured out to a fall festival, this time in Talent.
It was a beautiful day and this festival had different activities to offer than the one two weeks ago.

Declan got a perfect little pumpkin from one of the booths, which he held the entire time he was in the stroller. He also got the opportunity to ride a pony, which he loved.

There were a lot of vendors of all kinds as well as games & crafts for kids, a live band, and even a belly dancer (not sure how fall-ish that is, but whatever).

I just love this time of year and it is so exciting for me to have my sweet baby boy and my darling husband to share it with!

Fall Festival

One of the many things I love about living in the Rogue Valley is that there is always something to do. Not only are there opportunities in Medford, but there is always something being offered in the surrounding suburbs (White City, Eagle Point, Central Point, Phoenix, Talent, Jacksonville & Ashland).

So, when we found out that Phoenix was having their annual Fall Festival last weekend, we decided it would be a nice event to experience, and it was.
There were vendors, arts & crafts for kids, Hawaiian dance demonstrations, live music, Jeremy Van Schoonhoven (from America's Got Talent, 2010) and Brad's World Reptiles.

What fun was had by all of us!

Learning to Self Feed

Those of you who know me well know that I love cleanliness and tidiness. I am a stickler for picking up after one's self and keeping my home free of dirt and grime. Which is why I was hesitant to allow Declan the chance to use a spoon all by himself.  I just knew it could only end in disaster. A disaster of a mess that I would have to clean up. And would probably try to clean up while he was eating. I know, I know, it's sad, but true.
Fortunately, I guess I have relaxed over time and I wasn't as particular about it as I expected I would be. I have come to realize that with kids, come messes, and I have to be ok with that sometimes. I actually enjoy watching Declan explore foods and get excited about doing it himself. He is so proud of his accomplishments. And I am proud of him...despite the mess.

Declan's 1 year photo's

Our good friend Mandy offered to take photo's of Declan after he turned one. I automatically was thrilled to have the opportunity to get some great shots taken of our big one year old boy!
We went to a near by state park, Touvelle, on a lovely evening and she was able to capture some really amazing pictures.
I have included several of my favorites, but of course there are many more in our collection, and I'm having a difficult time deciding on the best way to display them at home. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment.

Labor Day Weekend

The Connolly's had a most wonderful Labor Day weekend. Sean had Friday through Monday off, which was a blessing, and we spent a lot of time at home just being together as a family, as well as taking a couple day trips.

We wanted to go to Crater Lake, but some surrounding fires were making the area really smokey, so we modified our plans and make the most of the weekend anyway. On Friday we drove about 30 miles north of Medford and hiked a trail along the Rogue River where there is a Natural Lava Bridge. And on Monday we drove into Ashland and walked through Lithia park, getting frozen yogurt afterward.

What a lovely time we had!